Words To Kill For
by FadingIntoYou
Summary: Mary picks a fight with Marshall due to something Raph did, and breaks her partnership into pieces even she isn't sure she can fix. Will he let her try?
1. Chapter 1

So...this is my first stab at a IPS FF and I'm in love with this show. I hope I did it justice, read and review! Spoilers for entire show, small references here and there.

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Sitting opposite an irritated Mary was nothing that would have usually fazed Marshall, but today wasn't any other day and the reason for her irritation was one that was out of her control which made everyone within a sixty foot radius fear for their life. Mary came in slamming the door behind her, throwing her bag on the floor, stomping to get coffee and dropping herself into her chair. These are also habits that didn't usually affect Marshall either, until she decided that it was appropriate to lash out at _him_ to try and understand why _his_ gender was a mass of mindless idiot that never knew when to back off and when to keep it in their pants.

"I mean seriously, what the fuck does it take to get a man to understand that 'Leave me alone' isn't code for bother me until I break down and tell you. Usually if I say that, the next step is handing them their balls on a silver platter for being so damn clueless!" she exclaimed, and Marshall didn't know whether or not to stand up for himself or to let her go on insulting his fellow man, so he stayed quiet until she delivered a low blow that left him reeling.

"Do you do the same thing numbnuts? Do you constantly keep asking questions until a girl wants to hand you your balls, or do you use that genius IQ of yours to know when to think with the head above your belt instead of below?" she sneered, looking at him challengingly until she realized that she hit a nerve by the way his hands clenched around his mouse and the way his eyes turned that dark blue when gearing for a fight.

Getting up, Marshall unclenched his hands a few times, and stalked his way across the room in measured strides to stand behind a smug looking Mary, knowing that her intent was to hurt him and that she had accomplished just that. She knew that Marshall was right behind her, but refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing the confused look on her face. He leaned forward to take the arms of her chair and spun her to face him, giving him the advantage to use his height against her. She stared defiantly up at him while he debated between yelling at her and shaking sense into her. He chose the former due to an immense amount of consideration for his own well being afterward. He drew himself up to his full height and looked down his nose at her, noticing the way she shrank back just the tiniest bit, not knowing what his next move was, but quickly straightening up as to not appear weak and mimicking his crossed arms. He took a deep breath to steady his anger, but made sure that his words were just as hurtful so she could understand what she had done to him only moments ago.

"Unlike most men, I know when to offer comfort and when to back off. But you wanna know the difference between all of those 'mindless idiots' and I?" he asked rhetorically, and continued on without giving her a chance to insert an answer, "The women I'm with act their age and not their shoe size. I gain their trust by knowing that it is something I can work towards, while you take men with the IQ of a walnut and never let on that you're so damaged and untrusting that they never knew it was something that wasn't on the table to begin with" he said, and the air in the office stilled as he watched the hurt expression flash over Mary's face, only to be replaced by one of anger that could make any other man crumble, but only made Marshall that much more determined to stand his ground. He knew that what he said was low, but both of them knew it was true. The way it came out made it seem harsh and insensitive, but he was only telling her what she already knew. Getting up out of her chair caused Marshall to take a few steps back, but both moved into a slight combative stance as if they were going to physically assault one another, but both knew that their words had bruised the other far more than any kick or punch could have. Shielding herself from any pain that those words caused, Mary delivered one crushing blow that would make anyone surrender. She replied in a calm tone, knowing that Marshall couldn't undermine her authority if she wasn't yelling at him.

"You're right, they don't know that I don't have trust to offer, but you wanna know the really pathetic thing Marshall? The one man who does think there's a chance doesn't realize that the last time I've truly ever trusted a man was when I was 8" she replied, and saw his face void of any emotion, "The truth hurts, doesn't it?" she asked him, and finally every defense he had against Mary Shannon crumbled along with his heart. Just the sheer realization that she'd imply that she doesn't trust him knocked the wind out of him and made him wish he was anywhere but in their office at that very moment. Even Stan and Eleanor stepped out of his office to see why they were fighting now, and stood there shell shocked as his two top inspectors, people that he saw as family, tore each other apart right there in front of him. He was just about to intervene when he realized that Marshall had backed up away from Mary as if she had hit him and made his way to his desk in an eerily calm manner. After he grabbed his gun, badge, and anything else he needed, he turned to Stan with a look on his face that made the knot in Stan's stomach tighten. Looking worn down, Marshall said,

"I'm going home. I need a break to figure a few things out and decide whether or not this is where I want to be right now…" he said and glanced at Mary who stood rigidly against her desk, waiting for him to announce that he was kidding. "I have time saved up so don't worry, I'd give you more notice if you needed to replace me" and with that he walked out the door and into the elevator without so much as a glance back at the people he just left. Mary continued to stare at the elevator, waiting for him to come back in, but realized with a quick rush of panic that he didn't _want_ to come back right now. She then wheeled around to Stan with a panicked fury that made him glad she wasn't armed at the moment.

"You're just going to let him go!?! What the hell Stan, he can't leave and he knows that!" and in a lower voice that only made her harder to understand, but not impossible, "He promised me he wouldn't ever leave me…" she said and his heart, as well as Eleanor's, broke for her. She looked like she just lost her best friend, and that's exactly what had happened, but wasn't the total extent of it. She cared for him, and knew he cared for her, but never thought in a million years that he would be one of those guys that left her without a second thought. _Holy shit, I finally pushed Marshall back to arms length like everyone else and he walked away from me. Jesus Christ, how do I make this ok?_ She looked up at Stan and decided that he wasn't a replaceable boy toy, he was her partner, and she refused to accept that that was all she was getting as a goodbye. Hell, she wasn't planning on coming back until either Marshall came back with her or she died trying. Grabbing her badge and gun as well, Mary grabbed her things and made it to the elevator before turning around to address them,

"I'm going to fix this" she said strongly, then continued in a voice that suggested she was on the verge of tears had it been anyone else, "I don't know what I'll do if I can't" and she turned and strode away from the office, hoping Marshall would at least hear her out.

Eleanor stood next to Stan and finally came out of her stupor to ask one simple question,

"What, the _hell_, was that?" turning toward his office, Stan offered the only answer that made sense to him.

"_That_ was two people in love breaking each others hearts".


	2. Chapter 2

So...hope you like it. This is the first story I've really thrown myself completely into, read and review :]

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As Marshall pulled away in his truck, all he could do was keep from getting home as quickly as possible because he considered the fact that Mary may be there waiting for him. He couldn't believe Mary would ever imply that she didn't trust him after everything they had been through together, but didn't underestimate the fact that she'd been hurt enough to keep at least a little piece of herself where no one could possibly reach, or give up trying. There was no one he trusted more than her, and somehow that realization struck him as ironic in the most tragic sense. He always was that one person she could count on when the rest of society was trying to tell her to be different, and it was like a bullet in the heart to know that she dumped him into a category with all of the men she has slept with and tossed away when she felt like it. _I am not one of them, so why the hell do I feel like I've done something to betray her trust or make her doubt me? _ And with that thought, it hit him like a ton of bricks; **Raph**. He had to be the reason Mary was so against men today, but what did Raph do that made him the target of her vicious assault? He was always there for her and instead she turned on him like an animal killing another before they get eaten alive. _Maybe she's trying to save herself, but what makes her think that she has to save herself from me? _And with that last thought, Marshall considered that an hour was enough time to be driving around and headed to the comfort and safety of his home, or at least, that was the plan until he pulled up and noticed Mary's Probe sitting in his driveway. _Oh that's great, it's pick up Marshall's heart and jump up and down on it day. Fun._ He sat in his car and stared straight ahead for a good ten minutes before putting his head against the steering wheel and wondered if she would notice if he put the truck in reverse and made a quick getaway. _No way, with my luck she shoots and flattens all my tires, then drags me inside. _He gathers his nerves and slowly climbs out of the car, knowing that the absence of Mary sitting on his porch meant that she had used her key and made herself at home. Knowing that sooner or later he had to face Hurricane Mary, he took a deep breath and opened his door.

What he found inside wasn't what he had expected at all. He expected fire, explosions, a bomb for all he knew, but what he came in to find was Mary to be nowhere in sight. He wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad thing, but didn't hear any movement to suggest he worry. Instead, he wearily put his things down and headed for his bedroom, peeling off his jacket as he went and starting to unbutton his shirt when he walked into his room and stopped dead in his tracks at the sight. There, on his bed, was Mary sitting cross legged with his favorite pizza to her right and every Star Wars movie there was on her left. He almost smiled at her thoughtfulness, but remembered that she only did this because she knew he was hurt. Seeing the conflicting emotions on his face, she stopped him before he got ahead of himself;

"Hey" she said softly, "Don't go there. Take this at face value and we'll move from there. Ok?" she asked hesitantly. Noticing that she was trying to make this about him, he decided that he loved this woman too much to deny her anything. He nodded, and sat next to her on the bed, moving the pizza and leaned back against the headboard staring at the ceiling as if it had a manual on how to understand a Shannon woman. After an uncomfortable amount of time, Mary decided to take the plunge and try to begin to fix things between them.

"Look, I didn't mean what I said…"

"Yeah you did, or you wouldn't have said it. Somewhere in your subconscious it meant something, so please don't lie to me because all it's doing is adding insult to injury" he said in a monotone as he interrupted her. He still hadn't removed his eyes from the ceiling, and it was starting to unnerve her.

"You wanna try to look at me or what Doofus? This is ridiculous"

"If it's so ridiculous, then you can leave. I've taken enough of a beating from you Mary, I don't think I'll be able to handle you doing this to me in my house" he said sternly, and that alone brought tears to her eyes. She refused to let them fall, but now she was just starting to realize just how much she had messed up with Marshall.

"I'm not here to fight with you Marshall; I just want to fix this".

"What is there to fix? You don't trust me obviously, so why should I stick around when I obviously have no chance" he said, then bitterly added, "It's just _pathetic"_.

The words sliced through Mary and she decided that she'd had enough of Marshall acting like this. If he wanted a fight, then she'll fight.

"Alright, you wanna keep doing this? Fine by me"

"I'm not the one that chewed your head off first thing this morning Mare, I didn't deserve that" he said to her as they both sat opposite each other on the bed, pizza and movies forgotten, and looking at each other for the first time in hours.

"Did you think I deserved to have my fiancé this morning screw my sister in _my _kitchen in _my _house! Yeah Marshall, this morning was all about things no one deserved but got anyway" she said bitterly and let a few of the tears that she had been holding back finally fall. He had seen Mary deal with the whole Raph screwing Brandi once before, so he wondered why it mattered so much this time.

"Why is it that different from the last time he did that?" he asked, and she jumped off the bed and began pacing as her voice rose with every new piece of information.

"Oh, I don't know Marshall, maybe it was the fact that: A) we're engaged, B) he said that Brandi was what he's wanted all along, or my all time favorite, C) I didn't deserve him because I'm just a heartless bitch that no one could ever really love anyway" she finished, and leaned against his wall for support before sliding down it and breaking down into heart wrenching sobs that made his eyes tear up as well. He got off the bed and went to her, and for once she let him hold her as she let him experience the most intimate moment she's ever had with a man. Her tears soaked through his shirt, but he continued to hold her head and rub her back soothingly, all the while letting his tears fall silently. He cried for him, for her, and for what may or may not be when they finally sort this entire mess out. No matter how much he loved her, he wondered just how much of her didn't trust him, and that scared him more than anything.

As her breath steadied, he decided to ask what he needed to ask before he lost the nerve and did something that he may end up regretting.

"Mare…" he whispered into her ear.

She put one hand on her stomach and wrapped the other one around her as she inched away from Marshall. It wasn't that she didn't need him there for her, it was just the fact that being so close to him made everything else dangerously fade away. She looked up at him to see a mix of hurt and anger in his eyes before he took a breath and continued on as if she didn't just pull away from him.

"Why are you doing this to me? Why aren't you at home tearing Raph apart or picking apart Brandi's life? Why did you think it was important to attack the only one that has ever put your needs before their own?" he asked, and with each word he grew quieter, which had her leaning into him trying to catch his words. Taking a deep, shaky breath, she let out exasperatedly;

"Geez Marshall, you're acting as if I wanted to make you miserable. That wasn't what I wanted, but you always being there for me made me angry because I wondered; _Why can't I have someone that loves me treat me that way. Why is it that I never seem good enough..._" she said and felt the tears collect behind her eyes.

He pulled her closer once again, but this time he felt her surrender and that made him more angry than almost anything else that she's done to him. He grabbed her chin firmly but gently, and tilted her head back so her eyes could meet his, and he whispered in a voice that made her stomach do flips that they really shouldn't.

"Who said that someone that loves you doesn't treat you that way?" he asked in a raspy voice, sending shivers down her spine that made her breath just a little more shallow and slightly more panicked and tried to explain away the double meaning in his question.

"But Raph doesn't, he never has..." she said hurriedly as she felt Marshall shift closer to her and found that her body welcomed all the comfort he had to give. He shook her chin slightly and made her focus on his words.

"Mare..." he said lowly, and something made her eyes transfixed to his lips as she noticed he started to lean in, and she couldn't help but wonder how soft his lips were. Just as his breath started to mingle with hers, he bypassed her mouth to whisper in her ear, leaving her disappointed, yet humming with excitement at Marshall being so close to her.

"Who's the only one that's always been there for you?" he asked, and felt more than heard her sharp intake of breath. They stayed that way for a second, neither breathing because they didn't want to break the spell that they had cast over one another. Mary leaned into him and rested her head in the crook of his neck, and drew strength from his body as she breathed out her next words...

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It really did have to be a cliff hanger, sorry! Review so I know where you're mind is going lol.


	3. Chapter 3

So, I hope it's what people like because for the first time I'm writing ahead of what I post. Review on what you want, and I'll try to work it in there. Adios :]

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_"You, always you Marshall"_

Lying in her bed, Mary replayed those words in her head for the millionth time in about 5 days. 5. Days. Marshall had left the office 5 days ago and hadn't come back. She had made it all the way to her car until she started to break down into tears that she felt building ever since she and Marshall had started arguing.

She'd had the same damn dream every night, and every morning she would stare up at her ceiling, hoping that when she walked into work that morning that he would be there, drinking his girly coffee and looking at Google for more of his random trivia crap, but knew better because he had left and didn't know if he wanted to be there with them, _with her._ Every time that dream left her feeling empty, then let anger be the only thing that consumed her so she could get through the day without breaking down. And, to top it all off, last night Raph decided that they really shouldn't be engaged anymore. _And the punches just keep coming..._Today though, she found Brandi sitting at the kitchen counter, eating cereal and making stupid puppy eyes at Raph, who shouldn't have been there in the first place. Steeling herself for the fight she knew she had to have, she squared her shoulders and walked straight to the coffee maker. Raph immediately sat up straighter and tried to get Mary's attention, but Brandi's baby syndrome kicked in and felt the need to be the center of attention.

"Chico, please don't beg her for forgiveness. It's not in her vocabulary let alone something she deserves to have control over. You know how she gets when we let her do things her way…" she left off glaring at Mary's back, and she decided that it was better now than later.

"You know what Brandi; I've always taken care of your pathetic, jobless ass so screw you. Oh, wait a minute, I guess Raph already took care of that didn't he?" she asked sickeningly sweet, shooting death glares at both guilty parties. Raph had enough sense to look ashamed, while Brandi sat up straighter and played with her hair before responding;

"He did, but I can't help but wonder what your partner would be like…He's tall, lean, and has one hell of a…"

"Get the fuck out of my house" she said deathly calm, knowing that she could kill her sister in less than sixty seconds. That was when Raph decided that he needed to lend his help to fix things and she really let go of the short leash she had on her anger.

"Mary, please reconsider. She is just…"

"Just what Raphael, bored? So she can screw my partner to what, compare notes? Fuck you both. If both of you aren't gone by the time I get back from work, I'm taking everything you've ever owned and putting it in the driveway so I can light it on fire. Don't you dare try to ask for anything, as of now I have an alcoholic mother and a fugitive father and that's it"

"And why the hell are you still here Raph? After last night I was pretty sure you would have been looking to get away from me. Go ahead Raph, you wanted her, have her. But never talk to me again" and with that she grabbed her gun and badge and left her house, knowing that if they didn't leave, she'd better bring home a hell of a lot of matches.

Walking into the office was just one more thing that set her off. No one was there, stating that Eleanor was out sick and Stan had a meeting all day. _Great, just what I need. A day to stew on how many flammable things those two dumbasses own, and just how much I miss Marshall…_ with that thought, she grabbed one of the mugs off the counter that no one used and heaved it across the room to hear its satisfying crash as it shattered against the wall. Hearing his voice made her entire body tense up, both in anger and excitement of what may happen.

"I thought we talked about your tendency to destroy things," Marshall said dryly as he waltzed over to his desk and sat down, "You know that one was Eleanor's right?" he asked her, and sat down to do some paperwork that had piled up on his desk.

Mary turned around and just stared at him, making him feel uncomfortable and more than a little bit afraid. He had convinced himself over the last few days that he could never leave Mary, but being in love with her while she had little to no faith in him made him realize that he had to move on in order to keep some kind of hold on his sanity. He refused to look at her, but when she leaned over the back of his chair with her hands just outside of his on his desk, there wasn't much he could do otherwise. He sighed and asked her what she needed, to which she replied in a way that made his previous decision to move on look impossible. She softly asked him,

"Marshall, can we ever be ok?" she breathed into his ear, and he felt the tears she was trying to fight back, all the while trying his hardest not to turn around and grab her to show that he was right there with her. He swallowed roughly, and replied in the same fearful tone.

"I don't know Mary. This is your car, I'm just along for the ride" he replied dejectedly. He then felt her move across the room to her desk, and just as she was about to turn away from him, he asked her one question that changed their entire partnership from this point forward;

"Will you _ever_ trust me Mare? Or will I just keep being pathetic…" he asked, but his tone held no accusation or bitterness, only tragic hope that he could find some way of putting his world back on its axis. She looked up at him, reading the raw, honest hope in his eyes, and couldn't think of any more of an honest answer to his question.

"You were never pathetic Doofus" she kidded lightly, "And I think I'm more open to show you, rather than tell you" she finished with a smile, taking in the confused look on Marshall's face.

"Huh?" he said, and she almost laughed at the inarticulate phrase asking why she had said that.

"Raph broke off our engagement and I kicked both him and Squish out of my house since they love being in each other's company…" at that, he raised his eyebrows as if to ask what she meant, "Raph deserves her, and her him. They're both shallow people that didn't care how they treat me or anyone else. Let them have sex all they want, as long as I never see them again" she ended a lot harsher than she intended to let on and he picked up on the subtle shift.

"He slept with Brandi again?" He asked, and wondered why she cared so much this time around.

"Hey, if it weren't for the fact that she intended to make you next on her to-do list" she laughed a little hollow laugh at her unintended pun as Marshall rolled his eyes, "she may still be there, but not Raph. It was just the last straw though. It's like she wants everything that's mine and knows that she can get it" she ended upset.

"She can't though" he whispered, and he answered her puzzled glance, "I'd have to actually want her more than someone else for that to ever be possible. And it just so happens, love trumps lust every time" he said staring straight into her eyes, noticing that her pupils dilated and didn't show much green at all anymore. He met her heated gaze head on, and felt the room vibrate with tension as well as energy.

"How do you know she couldn't have you?" she asked carefully, hoping that he gave her something that showed he cared just as much for her as she does him. He shrugged and leaned back in his chair as he stated what he thought to be the obvious,

"Because, she can't have everything that's yours. Somethings aren't transferable" he said with a smile that blew her away, and made her realize that for the first time, she had something all to herself; it was something that she never had to share.

That thought alone made her consider the fact that Marshall was there for her as long as she'd want him. _Hell, he'll be there 'til death do us part._ She froze as that thought registered. _Oh shit...married to Marshall. What a thought._


	4. Chapter 4

I know, I'm a horrible person for waiting this long lol. But, I have finals then summer so I'm feelin waaaaay more creative than usual. If you think I should right more stuff, review and tell me about this pair, others I've done, or ones I haven't on my profile. FIRST STORY I EVER ACTUALLY FINISHED ON PURPOSE! lmao, enjoy you lucky, lucky people :]

The pair was able to get back into their routine relatively quick, and Stan was glad for the change. He could still see the way that Marshall would look longingly over at Mary when he thought she wasn't looking, but noticed that after a while, Mary would smile as if she could feel the weight of it on her back. Once in a while she would catch him and be locked into a staring match with him, but usually just smiled this radiant smile at him and left it at that. It was one of the smiles that lit her whole face and it made him wonder just what had happened in the office earlier that day. Deciding that if whatever had happened made it this calm in the office, he owed Marshall and Mary the rest of the day off so it stayed this good. Walking out of his office, both Mary and Marshall instinctively looked up and got up waiting for their instructions, but stopped when they noticed he said _day off, _not _day in_. They gathered their things, but when Marshall started to leave ahead of Mary, she panicked.

"Hey Doofus?" she yelled to the elevator just as Marshall was getting on to which he turned around.

"What you doing tonight?"

"Nothing…why?"

"Let's get food and go to my house, we need to talk" she said and smiled reassuringly at him. He hesitated for a second before reaching his hand out to stop the doors from closing.

"Ok, let's go"

The ride to Mary's house was anything but entertaining. They let an awkward silence fall over them and just stared out the windshield until they pulled up in the driveway. Noticing that Raph's car was still there, both Mary and Marshall tensed and tried to talk at one another at the same time.

"Look Mare, its ok we can grab food tomorrow night…"

"No, you're not leaving, he is. Just come inside with me please?" she almost begged, and Marshall knew he wouldn't deny her anything. Sighing he agreed. Walking in he kept kicking himself for the fireworks he knowingly would start by just being there.

Walking through the door, Marshall could see Brandi and Raph in the kitchen, but by the murderous glare Mary shot them, that was the last place they should have been.

"What part of 'get the fuck out' did neither one of you dipshits understand?" she asked, and he noticed the way her hands clenched as if she were trying not to hit them.

"Well Mary, I thought you just said that because you were upset…"

"No shit Raph! You slept with my sister twice, and you think because I took you back the first time that I'd do it again? God, you're dumber than I thought because you're the one that broke off the engagement dumbass"

"Mare…" Marshall said warningly, but they just kept arguing. This time though, he was thrown into the mix.

"And what is _he _doing here Mary? This is a family problem and only _family _should be here" He stressed the word family and it pushed Mary to the edge of her rope.

"Well guess what _Raph; _Marshall has always been my family when you guys decided that walking all over me was fun. He was there to pick up the pieces and keep me from killing all of you. Plus, you shouldn't be here either; you're no longer anywhere close to being considered family"

Brandi decided that it was time she made her presence known, and all she did was fan the fire.

"How would we know you were upset Mary? You never let us see when you're broken so it's your own fault Chico wanted someone that didn't need a warning label on their forehead…"

"You want a warning label Squish?" she asked dangerously, "You got it"

Mary disappeared into the back of the house and they heard her moving things but no one was brave enough to go and see what she was doing. The only time they dared to move was when they heard the scraping of a metal garbage can outside, and Marshall was the first one to reach the pool before trying to stifle his laugh at what he saw.

"Mary, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Brandi screamed as she saw Mary standing over the garbage can.

Mary stood beside the can with it filled with both Brandi's and Raph's clothing, 4 boxes of matches, and a bottle of vodka, and Marshall didn't think he could have found her any more attractive than in that moment.

"Querida…" with that one word, Mary poured some vodka into the can, struck a match, and stepped away as she threw it in the can. She and Marshall started laughing, but their laughter was drowned out by Brandi's scream of bloody murder and Raph's fluent string of Spanish. After they all quieted down, Mary asked Brandi one last question,

"Guess the warning label probably said flammable, huh Squish?" she asked, and watched her run inside with Raph right on her heels.

As the fire died down, Marshall made his way around the pool and to Mary, wondering where her head was now. They stood in a comfortable silence as they heard Brandi and Raph yelling to one another as they got their clothes together. Neither dared to say anything until they heard Raph's car pull out of the driveway and silence stretch across the house.

"Guess they're really gone?" Mary asked, putting a lid on the garbage can.

"It seems that way…"

"Look Marshall…" she said and hesitated.

"What do you need?" he asked sincerely. Mary sighed,

"A friend and a pizza"

"I'll go order the pizza, and I'm already here" he said, and smiled as he went inside to find a menu.

Mary stood by the pool just watching the water lap at the edges and wondered just how much Marshall would do for her. _I can't keep being scared of him; he's the only one that hasn't hurt me. He deserves so much better_. **He might deserve better, but he basically hit you in the head with the fact that he will always be yours. Buck up and go get your one in a million. **_But what if he changed his mind…_**You know Marshall; you just refused to see what was right in front of you all along. **

Mary shook her head trying to get those voices to stop trying to start World War III when Marshall came back out to let her know the pizza is on its way.

"You ok Mare?"

"Yeah Marshall, but we have to talk" and with that she led him back inside to her living room and plopped on one end of the couch while he plopped in the middle a lot closer to her.

She played with her fingers, and Marshall gently laid his hand over hers so she would relax and look him in the eye. When their eyes finally met though, he felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him. Her eyes shone with unshed tears, and just as he was about to reach for her to hold her, Mary had other ideas instead. She pulled one of her hands out from underneath his and placed it on the back of his neck as she drew him closer and hesitantly pressed her lips to his. She did it again, and when Marshall didn't respond she started to pull away but felt him move one hand into her hair and the other to grasps her waist. She then felt him kiss her back and she couldn't help the moan that escaped the back of her throat. As her tongue snaked out to open his lips, she felt him pull back and hold her at arm's length.

"Mare, I get that you're going through an emotional time, but this is just cruel," he said sighing and leaning back against the couch a little farther from her.

"You think that was because I'm going through _crap_? How is this different from any other day in this hellhole I call home?"

"It's different because you just pushed away everyone you've always had to rescue and reassure. Maybe now you need some of that yourself…"

"I didn't kiss you because I was lonely numb nuts, I kissed you because I wanted to"

He looked up to meet her eyes and only saw sincerity behind her words despite the sarcasm.

"Oh…"

"Yeah 'Oh'. You may be a genius but you're as thick as a tree trunk"

"Funny you mention tree trunks. I happen to know that…"

"Really? Did you really think that for one second that I would find what you were about to say even remotely interesting?" she said rolling her eyes and settling her head against the back of the couch closer to him again.

"No, not really"

"Good, because I wouldn't want you to think that I enjoy all of that random crap that only an encyclopedia should know"

And with that, she leaned forward again and captured Marshall's lips with her own. He slipped his hands around her waist and pulled her half on top of him as he continued to battle with her for dominance of their heated kiss. As she started to reach for the buttons on his shirt, he picked her up from the couch with him and made his way down the hall.

"Where are we going…" she gasped as he nipped just below her ear and soother the sting with his tongue.

"Room" he said as he made his way down her neck.

"You better be worth the wait Doofus or I'm gonna be disappointed" he sighed as she fell back on his bed.

He looked down at her adoringly as he started to unbutton his shirt.

"Believe me," he rasped and made her shiver in the best possible way, "The last thing you will be is disappointed" he said as he threw his shirt on the floor.

She just stared up at him before pulling him on top of her.

"Ride 'em cowboy" she replied; and that was her last coherent phrase for the next several hours.


End file.
